Author: Philipp Moser

Bauma 2019 was not only the biggest bauma ever, but also the most successful ever for RUBBLE MASTER. RM and Maximus sold crushers and screens adding up to a capacity of several months directly at the trade fair. The highlight in the truest sense of the word: The visual human-machine communication system RM Operations Assist, which is part of RM GO! NEXT.

“Our crushers and screens communicate with the user either directly using light signals or via the RM GO! SMART App. This allows the operator to monitor the machine directly from the excavator cab and see the most important indicators at a glance without having to enter the machine’s danger zone. Our goal is to make our crushers and screens even safer with RM GO! NEXT,” explains RM founder and CEO Gerald Hanisch. This system has been implemented in both the new RM 120GO! next crusher and the RM MSC8500e hybrid screen. LED lamps visible from all sides of the crusher show the operator the current status of the machine in three colours (green, yellow, red). The machine communication lights signal the key statuses of operation, maintenance and warning. These lights are part of the standard equipment of the RM 120GO! next and RM MSC8500e machines.

 

Ex ski racer Hermann Maier at RM customer event

In addition to the RM machines, the former Austrian ski racer and multiple Olympic medallist and World Cup winner Hermann Maier was also a major attraction at the RM customer event.

Hermann got to know RM a few months ago in Linz and was visibly impressed by the new RM NEXT concept. He also noticed the cohesion within the RM Family at the event, which can be seen at RUBBLE MASTER both in the team and in the way they work together with sales partners and customers. Accordingly, he enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere at the RM trade fair stand. Accompanied by Austrian delicacies, wine and “granite beer” as well as sounds from the acoustic artist Ali Andress and his band Fluglicht, everybody partied into the night RM-style.

“The RM principles express the essential building blocks of our corporate culture. They make how RUBBLE MASTER works transparent to employees – how we want to deal with each other, but also how we act with our customers, suppliers and stakeholders,” says RM CEO Gerald Hanisch. RM now wants to “export” these values to the Northern Irish screen manufacturer Maximus, which was taken over by RM in 2018. “Takeovers are a long-term process and a sensitive approach is required, especially when it comes to corporate culture”, says Günther Weissenberger, RM CFO and Managing Director at Maximus. This is why it was decided to have this process accompanied by a project at the Steyr University of Applied Sciences.

Seven international students, who are currently completing their Bachelor’s degree at the Steyr University of Applied Sciences, have spent an entire semester assessing the takeover and have carried out a qualitative study. Adenike Adedapo, Alexandra Höflinger-Schmid, Janne Mikkola, Selina Mühlbachler, Sabrina Stockhammer, Felix Ratzenberger and Johanna Zittmayr interviewed a total of 15 employees at RM and Maximus in person or over the phone. In the anonymous interviews, value systems of various well-known companies and RM were discussed. “It was great for us that we were able to talk directly to the employees,” the students said enthusiastically. “For our students, the company project is always a highlight because, in addition to the theoretical aspects, they can also deal very specifically with a practical example,” says Jörg Kraigher-Krainer, Vice Dean of Research & Development at Steyr University of Applied Sciences, who supervised the students during the project. “For us, the work of the students actually has a high practical benefit, which is something the students are always happy about. We will reflect on the recommendations internally over the next few months and then put together a package of measures,” says Hanisch about the cooperation and the results.

Training with future potential – in times of a shortage of skilled workers RUBBLE MASTER has decided to take a new path. Like with on-site recycling, the company is a pioneer in working together with the chamber of commerce to break new ground in the recruiting of trainees with the Dual Academy. On 15 January, RUBBLE MASTER – the world market leader in Compact Crushing – welcomed the pupils of the eighth forms from the BG/BRG school in Enns.

RUBBLE MASTER has been training apprentices for 20 years and has been a partner of the chamber of commerce for the Dual Academy since 2018. This is a new training scheme especially for school leavers who can start their professional life directly after successfully completing high school. In addition to the company trainee program and specialist training during a fast-track apprenticeship period, the participants of the Dual Academy learn important future skills and have the opportunity to gain experience in an international environment during a stay abroad. In addition, trainees already receive the minimum salary stipulated in the collective bargaining agreement during their training. “For us, the Dual Academy is a great opportunity to find technical apprentices in times of a shortage of skilled workers. That’s why we decided to invite schools to join us in advance and offer them the opportunity to get to know us and the programme,” says Regina Denkmayr, apprentice trainer at RUBBLE MASTER.

The eighth forms from the BG/BRG school in Enns took the opportunity to learn more about the company and the training. Friedrich Dallamaßl, head of training policy at the chamber of commerce and Eva-Maria Schupfer, Dual Academy project manager, were available for questions together with the RM team. The guests were also able to see for themselves that many of the advantages of the Dual Academy have long been offered by RUBBLE MASTER.

Responsible tasks
“We have been training apprentices for more than 20 years. The aim is to employ the apprentices who have completed their training in a long term job with responsibility at RUBBLE MASTER”, says Gerald Hanisch. Many of the former apprentices have found a permanent job at RUBBLE MASTER and some now even lead teams. Currently, 13 apprentices are being trained in seven different occupations, both in production as well as in the office.

Internships abroad for apprentices
RUBBLE MASTER has been developing, producing, marketing and servicing mobile crushers for recycling C&D waste and processing natural stone since 1991. With an export quota of more than 95 %, the world market leader in Compact Crushing is well networked worldwide and also offers its apprentices the opportunity of an internship abroad. In recent years RM apprentices have been sent to subsidiary companies or sales partners in Spain, France, Northern Ireland and England.

Starting in 2019, in addition to the apprentices, a trainee in mechatronics will also be admitted as part of the Dual Academy.